In Memoriam: David Roberts (B. 1965, Go. 1966)

The Club is deeply saddened to share the passing of David Roberts (St Catharine’s), who achieved his Blue in 1965, rowing in Goldie the following year.

Dave was a cherished member of the rowing community, remembered for his outstanding rowing legacy and sense of humour. Rodney Ward (B. 1965, 66) reflects that Dave was a wonderful friend and, even 60 years since their time rowing together, his comedic delivery remained unmatched.

Fellow crewmate Mike Sweeney (B. 1965, 66) first encountered Dave at Bedford Regatta in July 1963 where they raced each other in the semi-final of the Junior Sculls — Dave beating Mike and going on to win the event. However, at the start of their first term at Cambridge in October 1963, Mike managed to reverse the result by beating Dave in the Final of the Bushe-Foxe Freshman’s Sculls!

Dave and Mike gained their Blues together in the 1965 Cambridge crew under President Joe Fraser. In those days the majority of the oarsmen in both varsity boats were undergraduates. However, in 1965 Oxford had enlisted four Yale postgraduates who occupied the stern four seats in the Oxford crew. Cambridge lost by 4 lengths. During their preparation period, the Cambridge crew trained at Cambridge, Earith, Ely and Henley before moving to the Tideway. The ’65 boys were a well matched and happy crew, with Dave nearly always at the front in the entertainment stakes.

In 1966 Dave was the Secretary of CUBC but did not manage to retain his seat in the Blue Boat. It is to his great credit that he became the Captain and leader of the Goldie crew that year.

Later in the sixties Dave became one of the earliest members of the Archetypals, a select group of light blue oarsmen.

Dave was a beloved coach for his alma mater, The King’s School Chester, for over 50 years. A fellow King’s alumnus David Wilkes reflected on Dave’s rowing career, “He was the star oarsman of his day and an accomplished single sculler (won the Schoolboy Pennant at the County of Chester Long Distance Sculls – only the second King’s oarsman to do that – after Arnold Cooke). He read English at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge (1963-66), rowed in the Boat Race 1965, and was Secretary of CUBC in 1966. He was also our second rowing Blue after Arnold Cooke.

He is immensely popular with the crews he coached; I have heard many stories of how he inspired them and how much they enjoyed rowing under his leadership. I can add that their experiences mirrored my own when he coached our junior colts’ crew of 14 and 15 year olds in 1963, just before he went up to Cambridge, and when subsequently in 1966, as the hero of the Blue Boat, he took us through our first experience of Henley. Thereafter, he was the regular Henley coach for King’s crews, travelling back from New York each year for the two week coaching gig.”

Dave will be dearly missed by his family, crewmates, and the many rowers who had the privilege of knowing him. The Club extends its heartfelt condolences to all who mourn his passing, remembering him not just as an outstanding oarsman, but as a true friend and mentor whose legacy will endure.